Samsung Galaxy Note Edge takes QHD screen down the side of the smartphone

Things you might also like

Samsung has outed its Galaxy Note Edge smartphone that features a screen which curves round the edge of the handset. It effectively extends the screen so that the side of the handset can be used to view information or as further touch controls.

The extra touchscreen, dubbed Edge Screen, can be used for controls while watching a movie full screen, says Samsung. But it can also be used to offer a live notifications strip for things like Twitter, Yahoo, the weather and plenty more. Since the SDK is open it's likely more apps will jump on this soon.

This panel will be available to use for quick controls like a light, timer, a ruler and more at launch. This tools pane can be accessed with a touch and slide down. The Edge Screen can also be used as a great glance screen for the time on the bedside at night. You can even set the camera shutter button anywhere along the edge.

The Edge Screen should allow for longer battery life as the edge is on display even with a case closed - allowing for notifications without fully powering up the handset.

The screen on the Galaxy Note 4 Edge, similar to the Note 4, has a QHD 5.6-inch Super AMOLED with a 2560 x 1440 resolution for 515ppi plus a further 160 pixels down that edge.

The S Pen has been improved to offer 2,048 pressure points of sensitivity, meaning real variation in lines based on pressure. The Edge also has a heart rate sensor, fingerprint reader and, "dependent on market" an O2 sensor.

The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge is powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor at 2.7GHz, backed by 4GB of RAM. The rear houses a 16-megapixel OIS camera while there's a 3.7-megapixel f/1.9 shooter for a selfie camera. It will come with a rapid charger and a 3,220mAh battery that can recharge to around 50 per cent in half an hour, claims Samsung.